Shaft and clutch mechanism.



PAIENTED JAN. 23,

J. o. HoBBs.

Y SHAFT AND CLUTCH MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.'

JOHN of HoBBs, or cH1cAco,'1LL1NoIs.

SHAFT AND CLUTCH MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J' an. 23, 1906.

Application filed October 22,1903. Serial No. 178,145.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN O. Hoses, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, am the inventor of certainnew and useful Improvements in Shaft and'Clutch Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of shafts provided with means for forming a yielding connection between such shaft and a drivingshaft or between such shaft and another shaft or mechanism to be driven thereby.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a' shaft with suitable means for forming a yielding connection between such shaft and a driving or driven shaft and adapted to cause such initial yielding connection to gradually become permanent and positive.

A further object of the invention is to'pro-vl vide a shaft comprising a iiexible portion formed of a multiplicity of rods and a rigid portion or portions connected With such iiexible portions, with means for first connecting the flexible portion with the driving or driven shaft, and then connecting such rigid portion with the driving or driven shaft positively, so as to relieve the flexible portions of the greater part of the strain to which such shaft is subjected, producing at first a yielding connection with the driving or driven shaftand gradually increasing the rigidity of the connection Aand of the exible portions of the shaft until the connection is positive.`

Other and further objects. of the invention` will appear from an examination of the drawings and the following description and claims.A

My invention consists in the features, combinations, and details of construction herein,-

' after described and claimed..

In the accompanying draw1ngs,Figure.1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a shaft and clutch mechanism constructed in accordance 'with my improvements; Fig. 2, a crosssectional elevatiom'taken on line 2 of Fig. 1,

through the rigid portion of one end of the shaft; Fig. 3, a View in elevation, taken on line 3 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrow, showing the movable flexibly-connected clutch member in section; and Fig. 4, a cross-sectional elevation taken on line 4 of Fig. 1, showing the iieXible rods between the inner core or sleeve and the outer cylindrical lor tubular portion of the shaft.

In constructinga shaft and clutch mechanism in accordance W1th -my improvements l provide a shaft comprising rigid and flexible portions,V the rigid portion or portions .of such shaft being composed of a main body or solid shaft portion a, upon the end' of which is mounted an outer tubular portion and an inner core portion c, mounted on the inside of and concentric with such outer tubular portion. I prefer to make the inner core hollow for the sake of economy and lightness of construction. The outer tubular portion is provided with a flange d, which I prefer to connect therewith by means of brazi'ng, and the outer tubular portion and inner core portion are rigidly connected together and to the main or solid body portion of the shaft by brazing them both to the end of such shaft. The

above elements together form the rigid portion of the shaft.

point of connection with the outer tubular portion, so as to form a plug portion e. This The end of the main solid body portion of the shaft is enlarged at its enlarged portion or plug is provided with A preferably triangular perforations or openings f therethrough, which are formed in a circle corresponding to the space between the inner core and the outer tubular portion'. Suitable flexible rods g, which I prefer to make of tempered steel, are provided with correspondingly triangular-shaped end portions, which are inserted in the perforationS in the plug and headed or riveted, so as to be held t,firmly thereby. These'rods form the liexible portion of the shaft. The opposite ends of these rods are mounted in a similar manner in amovably-mounted clutch portion t, which is -here`shown and described as the male clutch portion, the female clutch portion rl being mounted, preferably, rigidly upon the end of the outer tubular portion of the shaft, to which it may be connected by means of brazing. It will of `course be understood that the relative portions of these male and lfemale clutch members may be reversed, 'if desired. While the ends of 'the rods may be mounted in triangular openings or notches around the edge of a large central opening in the clutch member, I prefer to provide a-cylindrical plug j, having triangular notches in its outer edge, such plug being inserted tightly in the central opening in the clutch member, so as `to hold the rods,l which are headed or riveted, firmly in position. VA ring is keyed to the solid portion of the shaft and is connected to the flanged end of the outer tubular portion by .means of bolts l, so as to permit the rods to be mounted in position and strengthen the connections between the parts.l

IOO

The driving-shaft m, which is to be at first yieldingly connected with the shaft above de scribed and such connection gradually caused to become more rigid until it finally becomes positive, is provided with an angular end portion n, upon which is slidably mounted a clutch o, having a central perforation corresponding `in form tothe angular end portion ot' the driving-shaft, so as to rotate therewith. rlfhis clutch member is provided with suitable studs orshou der portions p, adapted to engage similar studs or shoulder portions q on the flexiblymounted clutch member. l The latter is mount-y ed between the clutch member z' (gn the driving-shaft and the one upon the rigid tubular portion of the iiexiblc shaft, already described,

' and may thus be thrown into or out of frictional engagement vwhen desired. Suitable pinion or other connecting mechanism (not shown) maybe mounted upon the opposite end of the main solid body portion of the-flexible shaft mechanism, whereby the machinery to be driven-such, for instance, as -that of an 4automobile-may be 'connected :operatively with the flexible shaft and clutch mechanism herein described, and thereby Withnthe driving-shaft, such connection being at irst yielding and gradually becoming more,rigid until it is positive.

Although l have shown the clutch member which is mounted upon the lexiblerods as adapted to be connected with the drivingshaft, it will of course be understood that the relation ofthe driving and driven shafts tothe iiexible and rigid prtions, respectively, ofthe -flexible shaftmechanism may readily be reversed. l prefer, however, .the arrangement of these parts substantially as herein described and shown. By this arrangement the driving-shaft may be rotated in either direction, and by moving the clutch member 0, which is slidably mounted thereon, into engagement with-the iiexibly-mounted clutch member theV rods are caused to rotate in a corresponding dlrection, and a yieldlng connection is thus formed between the rigid portion of the iiexible shaft mechanism and the driving-shaft. This flexible connection gradually becomes more rigid as the flexible rods are wound around the inner core. The winding of the rodscauses the flexibly-mounted clutch member to come at tirstinto yielding contact with the clutch member-on the outer tubular portion of the iexible shaft mechanism and finally into positive contact therewith, thus forming at first a yielding and nally positive connection betweenthe driving-shaft'and the driven mechanism, T he advantages of this device, particularly in connection with the driving mechanism of an skilled in the art.

I' claimautomobile, will bev appreciated by those 1. In a shaft and' clutch mechanism," of thel class'described, the combination of a-shaft comprising a rigid clutch portion and iiexible portions, and a clutch member connected to the flexible portions of such shaft and rotatableagainst the tension thereofin either di- 'rection into positive Contact With the rigid shaft portion, substantially as described.

2. In a shaft and cl-utch mechanism of the class described, the combination of a rigid shaft portion rotatably mounted, a clutch l-flexible rods extending longitudinally of the inner core portion connected at one end therewith and at the other end with the movable clutch member and forming a'iexible portion of such shaft, substantially as described.

4. In a shaft and clutch .mechanism of the class described, the combination of a shaft comprising rigid louter-tubular and inner core portions and rotatably mounted, a clutch member movably mounted with relation tothe rigid portion of such shaft, and flexible elements mounted between the outer tubular and innencore portions yieldingly connecting such -rigid shaft portion with the movable clutch Y member and forming a flexible portion of the shaft, substantially as described. Y

5. In a shaft and `clutch mechanism of the class described, the combination of ashaft provided with a rigid shaft portion rotatably mounted, a clutch member movable into and out of positive contact therewithJiexible elements yieldingly connected to'such rigid shaft portion and connnected to and supporting the! movable clutch member, and means 'for connecting such movable clutch., member with a driving-shaft, substantially as described.

vided with a `rigid shaft portion rotatably mounted, a clutch member mounted thereon, a clutch member movable into and out of positive contact with'such rigid shaft' portion and its clutch member, flexible rods connected at one end with the rigid shaft portion and at the other end extending beyond the end of thel rigid shaft portion and connected with such movable clutch member, and means for connecting such movable clutch member with a .mechanism to be operated in connection therewith, substantially as described.

V7. In a shaft and clutch mechanism of the class described,the combination of a shaft pro- I Io 6. In a shaft and clutch mechanismof the"4 A class described the 1; cmbination o'f a shaft provided with arigid portion rotatably mounted,

a .clutch member mounted thereon in fixed relation thereto, a clutch member movable into and rout of positive contact with such rigid shaft portion and its clutch member, iiexible i rods connected at one end with the rigid shaft portion and at the other end with. and supporting such movable clutch member, means .its clutch member, lexiblerods connected at one end with the rigid portion of such shaft and at the other end extending beyond the endl of the rigid shaft portion and connected with and supporting such movable clutch member and forming the iexible portion of the flexible shaft, and means for connecting such movable clutch member with a mechanism to be operated in connection therewith, substantially as described. Y.

9. In a shaft and clutch mechanism of the class described, the combination of a shaft provided with a rigidz'portion and rotatably mounted, a'clutch memberrigidly connected thereto and provided with an inclined frictionsurface, a clutch member movably mounted with relation to Such first-mentioned clutch member and having an inclined 'friction-surface adjacent thereto movable into and out of .positive contact therewith, iexible elements 10. -Ina shaf'tand clutch mechanism-of the class described, the combination of a shaft rovided with a rigid portion 'and4 rotatably mounted, a clutch'member rigidly connected thereto and provided with an inclined frictionsurface,'a Asecond-clutch member' movable into and out of positive contact therewith,` a.- plurality of flexible rods connected at' one end with the rigid shaft portion and at the other end with and supporting the movable clutch member and forming the iiexibleportion of such shaft, adri'ving-shaft, a, clutchme'mber slidingly mounted thereon movable into and out of engagementjwith the movableclutch member, and means for connecting the rigid portion of the nexible shaft with-,g mechanism to be operatedY in connection therewith, substantially Aas 11. In a shaft and clutch mechanism of the class described, the combination of a shaft provided with a rigid portion and having an annular core, a clutch member connected to such rigid shaft portion, a clutch membermovably mounted with relation to the rigid shaft portion and core, flexible rods connected at one end to the rigid 'shaft portion extending along the outer surface of the core and` connected at-their opposite ends to such movable clutch member, and Ameans for connecting such mov- `able clutch member with a'driving-shaft and disconnecting it therefrom,substantially as described. .L v- :tsj-.lV A I 12. In'aJ shatabd clutch mechanism of the class'described, the combination of a shaft provided w'itli a rigid portion rotatably mounted and comprising an outer tubular portion and an inner core portion, aclutch member `mounted upon such outer tubular portion, a clutch member movab'ly mounted with relation to such shaft portion and its clutch member, a

plurality of iexible rods attached at one endA to the rigid shaft portion and at the other end to the movable clutch member and extending between the inner core and outer tubular portion of such shaft, and means for connecting such movableclutch member with a drivingshaft, substantially as described.

13. In a shaft and clutch mechanism of the class described, the combination of a shaft comprising a rigid portion and ilexible rods attached to such rigid portion, and a rotatable member-'attached to such flexible rods and rotatable with relation to the rigid shaft portion inl opposite directions against the tension of the rods into engagement with the rigid shaft portion, substantially as described.

. 14. In a shaft and clutch mechanism of the class described, the combination lof a rigid shaftpo'rtion, a plurality of normally straight flexible elastic rods each having one end se- -cured to such rigid shaft. portion in fixed relation thereto, and a movable member secured in fixed relation to the opposite ends of such flexible rods-and rotatable in opposite direc- IIO flexible elastic rods arranged in parallel relal tion toveach othereach having one end `secured to such rigid shaft portion, and a mov able member secured tothe opposite ends of suchflexible rods and rotatable 'in opposite directions with relation to the rigid shaft por. tion'.

` JOHN O. HOBBS. Witnesses: g

- HAimy I. CRonE'R,"

` ANNIE C. CQURTENAY. 

